Apparatus for obtaining sulfur from furnace-gases.



PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

F. R. CARPENTER. APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING SULFUR PROM FURNACE GASES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.19. 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' F. R. CARPENTER.

PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING SULFUR FROM FURNACE GASES.

APPLICATION FILED MARJQ. 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

P. R. CARPENTER.

APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING SULFUR FROM FURNACE GASES.

APPLICATION FILED MAE-19.1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

k 00000 OOOO FRANKLIN R. CARPENTER, or

ARTHUR HOWE CARPENTER,

DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO ONE-EIGHTH TO CRANSTON HOWECARPENTER, AND

ONE-EIGHTH TO MALCOLM HOWE CARPENTER, ALL OF DENVER, COLORADO.

APPARATUS FOR OBTAINIITG- SULFUR FROM FURNACE-GASES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1907.

Application filed March 19 1906- Serial N0. 306.901-

To all @072 cm it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN R. CARPEN- 1"ER,'a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing 1n Denver, in the county of Denver and State ofColorado, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Obtaining Sulfurfrom Sulfurous Oxid, of which the following is a specification.

In calcining and smelting sulfid ores there is contained in the gasesgiven off by the furnaces large quantities of sulfurous oxid, (S0,). Theusual practice in this country is to. discharge such furnace gases into.the atmosphere with the result that all vegetation in the surroundingcountry is destroyed. The presence of this gas in the atmosphere is alsoinjurious to animal life in the region in which the furnace is located.

The principal objects of my invention are, first to prevent thedischarge of this injuriousrg'as into the, atmosphere, and second,toobtain sulfur therefrom which is a product of commercial value.

In carrying out my process in" the preferred way, the sulfurous oxid isfirst concentrated as by so doing the volume of gases to be handled inthe succeeding operations is lessened which is more convenient, and thefuel consumed is lessened and greater purity is obtained in the product.This concentration is preferably effected by cooling the gases whichcome from the furnace preferably to a temperature of 0 C. or below. Itis preferable, before cooling, to add to the gases as much moisture aspossible as it aids 1n the separation from the gases of the metallicbodies, which will usually be present, and also of the sulfurous oxidand avoids the very low temperature above specified.

Therondensed sulfurous oxid, or usually sulfurous acid, is subjected'toheat to obtain gaseous sulfurous oxid which is then further treated inthe manner, hereinafterdescribed.

Although, as I have stated, it is preferable to ooncentrate'thesulfurous oxid and treat it in the concentrated form, I may also operateon the gas as it comes direct from the furnace, being then mixed withother gases including the products of combustion. When so doing it ispreferable to cool the furnace gases somewhat and permit them to depositsolid particles by carrying them through a passage-way of suitablelength. The sulfurous oxid from the furnace gases may then be treated invarious ways.

According to one method, whether the sulfurous oxid is in a'concentratedform, or is still mixed with the rest.of, the furnace gases, it has aregulated quantity of steam added to it and the mixture is thensubjected to a reducing agent at a high temperature. The quantity ofsteam to be added will vary with the quantity of the sulfurous oxid. Thereducing agent under the conditions stated will effect a reduction ofboth the sulfurous and hydrogen oxids with the formation of hydrogensulfid. The re-action taking place in accordance with the equation Thehydrogen sulfid produced in the above manner is then carried forward andmin led with a graduated quantity of air forced into contact with hotiron oxld. The supply of air should be sufficient to supply oxygenenough to satisfy the hydrogen. The effect of oxygen aided by thecatalytic actionof the iron oxid is to separate the hydrogen from thesulfur according to the following equations, 3

The gases passing from the iron oxid are cooled and the sulfur collectedby means of settling chambers or filters, or-both.

In conducting the process it is preferable, in' order to obtainsatisfactory results, to supply steam sufficient to fully decompose thesulfurous oxid, as otherwise sulfur would be separated tbo early, but ifan excess of steam be admitted no serious harm esults'although it willtend to consume and cool the reducing agent more rapidly and willnecessitate 'a larger supply of air in the later operation.

The quantity of air to be admitted is of greater importance since ifinsufficient is admitted the hydrogen sulfid will not be completely decmposed and if air be admitted in too great a antity some of the sulfurwill be reoxidized. When operating on concentrated sulfurous oxid thequantities of steam and air needed'are readily calculated, allowancebeing made, however, for some watery vapor which will be carried by thesulfurous oxid, as it will not be dry.. When operating on the dilutedgas as it comes direct from the furnace an analysis of the ore with aknowledgeof the volume of the blast supplied to the furnace will enablethe uantities of steam and air to be calculated w1th sufficientapparatus has been adjusted no further adjust'ment will ordinarilybenecessary as long as the grade of ore is not changed, but for safetyan observation of the character of the gases coming from the settling orfiltering chamber maybe made from time to time.

In working it will be found that the ferric oxid is graduallytransformed into ferrous sulfid, but thisichange does not affect itsaction, although natural ferric sulfid could not be substituted for theiron oxid.

' According to another way of carrying out my invention, I may firstcondense or concentrate thesulfurous oxid,- in the manner beforedescribed, and then pass it through a reducing atmosphere as through orover a bed of glowing coke or other fuel whereby the sulfurous gases arereduced to sulfur, which latter, after cooling, becomes solid and may besettled out in a settling chamber. I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a plan view of anapparatuswhich may be employed for carrying out my invention, and Fig. 2 is aview partly view partly in elevation and partly in section showing amodified form' of apparatus in which the gases are not concentrated inthe manner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a plan .view ofanother modified form of apparatus, and Fig. 5 is a view 'thereof partlyin elevation and partly in vertical sectlon. v

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, A,indicates a furnace or roaster of any usual ordesired form. As shown it is a blast furnace such as is com.- monlyemployed in smelting pyritic ores. B, is a down-comer by which thefurnace gases are conducted to a flue, O, in'which may settle solidparticles carried mechanically by the gases and also in which they arecooled. In the preferred form of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2the flue, C, is provided with one or more water sprays, as shown at c,of any ordinary construction so as to insure a complete saturation ofthe gases with watery vapon This flue, 0, opens directly into therefrigerating chamber, R, which is of considerable size and length inelevation and partly in section thereof. Fig. 3 is a candescent.

some extent, solid particles which fall to the bottom of the chamber. Toinsure a circulation, prevent bacli draft, and carry off the uncondensedgases, an exhaust fan, T, is provided at the end of the chamber, R. Ifdesired the refrigerating chamber may be duplicated.

The flue, C, may be provided at any desired point with a coil ofpipes,D, as shown.

in Fig. 2. By -circulating water in this pipe system heat may begenerated to be used'in distilling sulfurous oxid in order to .obtaih itin a concentrated form. As shown in Fig. 1, the chamber, S, is providedinteriorly with a coil, D, connected with the coil, D,

' by which the sulfurous oxid is distilled from the contained sulfurousacid while the gases in the flue are to some extent cooled. The roof ofthe chamber, S ,is connected with a discharge pipe which discharges intoa chamher, (3, which in turn opens into diverging The waste water fromthe compartment, S, passes out through a trap, to a suitable receptacle,S

When the construction shown in Fig. 3 is employed and sulfurous oxid istreated in the the basesof coke towers, E, E, which as shownarecylindrical, but they may have any other form in cross section and areadapted to be filled and fed from time to time with coke through thebell-hoppers, e and e. These towers are provided at their bottoms withtwyers, e by which the necessary air can be supplied from time to timeas may be necessary tomaintain the coke in- The object in using the twotowers, E, and E, and the two branches, C and C is that one may alwaysbe in an operative condition. It will be found in'practice that thegases delivered to the towers not only cannot su port combustion, butwill cool down the col e below incand'escence if continued long enough.It is therefore necessary to intermit the su ply of the gases to a towerand provide it with an air blastduring' the intermission. By the use ofthe diverging flues, C and C provided with valves or dam ers c c and thetwo towers the a material cooling of the gases.

current can be shifted from one to the other tower and the process cantherefore be conducted continuously.

From the tops of the towers, E and E down-comers F and F connect with acommonpassage, G, of sufficient length to effect This passage, G, opensinto the iron oXid container or Claus kiln, H, and to which it conveysthe gases. As shown, it is rovided with a valved inlet, g, on each si ethrough which air is forcedfrom air pumps, 9 If desired, however, aircould be admitted at the bottom of the iron oxid container or kiln, H.The iron oXid container or kiln comprises a chamber rectangular in planexcept for its inlet and outlet and subdivided by a horizon-- talperforated plate, h, of earthenware or other suitable material, on whichrests the iron'oxid which is preferably mixed with some neutralsubstances to prevent the particles of iron oXid from fritting together.

The iron oxid may rest directly on the plate,

but referably a layer of broken fire brick will be interposed.

.The assage, G, opens into the chamber at one end beneath the plate, Itat h, and at the other end of the chamber and above the plate,'h, islocated the outlet, h

At the outset it will be necessary to heat the iron oxid and for thispurpose suitable heating means may be provided, but after starting itwill be found that the heat of the re-action will be sufficient.

Connected with the outlet, W, is a assage, I, which extends to thecondensing cl iamber, K. This chamber isof lar e size and has an outletin the top of the wail opposite the inlet which outlet communicates witha second condensing chamber, L. In the chamber, K, the greater portionof sulfur condenses in a liquid form and may be drawn off at thebottom.- A less proportion of sulfur, together with the products ofcombustion formed in the first re-action and the steam formedin thesecond re-action, pass into the second condensing chamber, L, in whichthe remaining sulfur condenses as flowers.

When treating sulfurous oxid without concentration the proportion ofother gases relative to the sulfur is so great that the particles areliable to be carried forward mechanically. To prevent loss of suchsulfur, I connect to the outlet Z a pipe leading to the bottom of afiltering chamber, N. Extending transversely of the chamber is stretchedcloth or like filtering material, 7, which may be arranged in a zig-zagfashion as shown. An outlet connected to a fan is located at the top ofthe chamber.

While I have described what I believe to be the best form of apparatusand the best manner of operating it, other apparatus may be'employed forcarrying out my process.

I have described the mixed sulfurous oxid and steam as passing upwardthrough a column -of glowing coke, but they may be brought into contactwith the reducing agent at a sufficiently high temperature in otherways, as by passing them over a bed of glowing fuel. It will also beevident that instead ofiron oxid, other catalytic oxids may be usedwhich will act in the same way, many being Well known.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the furnace and thcondensing apparatus as well as the means for separating sulfurous oxidfrom sulfurous acid or water is substantially the same as that shown inFigs. 1 and 2. After leaving the chamber, S the sulfurous oxid passesthrough valved branch pipes, W, WV, to reducing chambers, W W one ofwhich is shown in section in Fig. 5. Wall, w, of each chamber is afurnace grate, w. The grate is adapted to support a bed of incandescentcoke which may be fed thereto from an ordinary bell-hopper, w Beneatheach grate is located a twyer or twyers, w, to be used from time to timeas necessary to maintain the coke incandescent and an outlet throughwhich ash may be removed may be provided. Beyond the reducin chambersare checkerwork partitions, w of fire-brick located in a passage leadingfrom each reducing chamber to a'condensing chamber, Y. The concentratedsulfurous oxid passes throiwh the reducing chamber and is reduced, andin the condensing chamber, Y, the gases will be cooled and condensed andsulfur in solid form will be deposited.

I claim 1. The herein described apparatus for obtaining sulfur fromfurnace gases containing sulfurous oxid, comprising a dust chamber inwhich solid particles carried over mechanically may be deposited, coketowers with which the dust chamber communicates, valves for shutting offcommunication between the towers and the dust chamber, means foradmitting steam with the gases to the coke towers, a cooling chamberwith which the towers communicate, an iron oxid container communicatingwith said cooling chamber, means for admitting air to said iron oxidcontainer, and a collecting chamber communicating with the iron oxidcontainer.

2. The herein described apparatus for obtaining sulfurjfrom sulfurousoXid contained in furnace gases comprising. a refrigerating chamber,means for delivering furnace gases thereto, a coke tower, means forconveying sulfurous oxid from the refrigerating chamber to the bottom ofthe coke tower, means for delivering steam with the sulfurous acid,means for maintaining the coke in the tower incandescent, an iron oxidcontainer, means for conducting gases from the top of the coke tower tothe bottom of the iron oxid con- Extending rearwardly from the tainer,means for delivering air to the bottom of the container and means forcarrying ofi v and collecting the sulfur.

3. The herein described apparatus, comprising a refrigerating chamber,means for delivering furnace gases thereto, means for separating thefixed gases from the sulfurous 02nd and the Water deposited in therefrigerating chamber, means for evaporating the sulfurous oXid out ofthe Water containing it, means for subjecting the sulfurous oXid thusconcentrated to the action of a reducing agent at a high temperature,and means for further treating the resulting gas to obtain sulfur in asolid form.

4. The apparatus herein described, comprising a furnace, a coolingchamber connected therewith and receiving furnacegases therefromequipped with means for condensing the sulfurous oXid contained in saidfurnace gases, means for collecting the condensed oXid, an evaporatingchamber to which the water containing the oxid is conveyed, a coil ofheating pipes contained in said evaporating chamber, another coil in theflue connection between the furnace .and the cooling chamber, means forcirculating a fluid through the coils whereby the furnace gases are tosome extent cooled before reaching the cooling chamber and the coil inthe evaporating chamber is heated sufficientlyto L vaporize off thesulfurous oXid, means for ited, a chamber for distilling liquidcontaining the deposited sulfurous oxid, a coil of wa-.

ter-pipes in said chamber connected with the coil in the dust-settlingchamber whereby the heat from the settling chamber is conveyed to thedistilling chamber and vice versa, the lower temperature of thedistilling chamber is communicated to the settling chamber,

whereby the gases are to some extent cooled before entering therefrigerating chamber and means for carrying off and further treatingthe sulfur gases from the distilling chamber.

Intestimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

FRANKLIN R. CARPENTER.

Witnesses: i v

LLOYD B WIGHT, CHARLES F. EARLY.

